Car truck



March 5, 1940. N. B. AKITT 2,192,371

CAR TRUCK Filed June 6, 193a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 5, 1940. N. B. AKITT 1,.

' CAR TRUCK Filed June 6,, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 5, 1940 g I V I Q UNITED" ST T S T OFFICE CAR" TRUCK Norman B. Akitt, Troy, N. Y., assignor to Adirondack Foundries and Steel Incorporated, Watervliet, N. Y;, a corporation of New York Application June 6, 1938, Serial No. 212202 Claims. (Cl. 105-1971) This invention relates to carv trucks and more wear or guiding surface comprislngspaced inparticularly to the bolster, spring,v and side wardly facing portions for contacting on occasion frame constructions, arrangements, and connecwith the corresponding outwardly directed faces tions. on the columns,'and a wedge shaped or sub- 5 The general object of the invention is the stantially triangular surface approximating the provision of a novel car truck embodying imcontour of the inwardly directed triangular surprovementsin the means for connecting the ends faces on the column. The apices of these matof the bolster with the side frames, and in the ing triangular guide surfaces'define the width of disposition of the bolster supporting springs for the window opening of the side frame at this the most eilicientfunctioning thereof. 'po whi asv eady poi ted out, i f approx- More particularly, the invention has for its imately the same width as that of the main porobject the provision in a spring plankless car tion of the bolster and also wide enough to actruck of a bolster and of side-frame columns commodate the spring grouping. having mutually contacting. surfacessof novel The angularity'of the indentations between the I and improved configurations, whereby the bolster bolsterlugs is somewhat greater than that of the may adequately perform the function of mainadjacent surfaces of the columns, the configurataining the squared relation of the truck side tion being such that, when the bolster is angled, frames,butwhereby at the same time the arrangenearly one-half of the total area of the mutually ment may be madeself-alining so that suflicient adjacent wedge shaped surfaces of the bolster flexibility is provided for the side frames to as- .and column on either side is in bearing contact,

sume their proper longitudinal position during as well as the substantially parallel faces on altravel. The present invention also provides .externately opposite sides of the connection. Thus ceedingly large wearing surfaces between the a greatly increased bearing area is provided than truck columns and the bolster'when the bolster in prior constructions and this area is so shaped is angled or rotated in a horizontal plane under as to provide a maximum of contact under all certain conditions of operation, aswhen roundconditions of service.

ing a curve or under the continual alternate surg- It will also be noted that, in furtherance of ing ahead of oneside frame or the other on a one object of the invention, the inclusion of the straight track. entire spring grouping within the confines of the The arrangement according to the present incolumns, permits the maintaining of the springs vention not only retains all of the advantages of as close to the central vertical plane of the side the spring plankless truck but also is adaptable frame as possible thus avoiding unequal stressing to spring plankless trucks either of the standof the springs during relative movement of the ard type or of the double truss type. side frame and bolster.

In its preferred embodiment, the invention Fromthis it will also-be apparent that afurcontemplates the provision of side frames havther object of the invention is to provide a novel ing columns of normal spacing which, together and improved bolster for use in connection with with the tension and compression elements of a car truck of this general type. the frame, define windows of widths correspond- Other objects and features of novelty will be 40 ing generally to the width of the bolster proper apparent from the following specification when w and also approximating the width of the spring read in connection with the accompanyingdrawgrouping employed. The spring grouping illusings in which one embodiment of the invention is trated and described herein is a conventional or illustrated by way of example.

standard one and represents the preferred ar- In the drawings: a rangement; but, of course, variations may be Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a truck. made With t e pe o t e c embodying the principles of the invention, a por- The upper portions of the side frame columns tion of one of the side frames being shown in are of a substantially triangular or wedge shaped section;

configuration in horizontal'section and are also Figure 2 is a plan view of one-half of the, provided with outwardly directed faces lying in truck; the columns and bolster being shown in planes approximately parallel with 'the longituhorizontal section at their point of connection: dinal center line of the truck. Each end of the Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View bolster of the truck is provided with a pair of taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2;-and spaced outstanding guide lugs upon each side Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary horizontal thereof, and these lugs define between them a sectional v ews, on an enlarged scale, of the bolster and side frame connection in rectilinear and manner.

angled positions respectively.

The exemplary embodiment of my invention is included in the four-wheel truck for freight cars shown in some detail in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, and designated generally by the reference numeral'lll. The truck is of course pro vided with two parallel side frames, one of which is indicated at l2. Each side frame comprises an upper compression member l3 and a lower depending tension member H, the junction of these alone performs the function of squaring the truck under all conditions of travel. The bolster i is preferably of the sturdy hollow cast metal construction shown best in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings; a center bearing being provided at 2|, and the opposite ends of the bolster extending through the windows 22 of the side frames, these windows being outlined by the central portions of bolster guiding columns 24.

the compression member l3 and tension member l4, and the parallel vertical frame bracing and r The ends of the bolster 20 rest as at 2'| upon the spring groups or assemblies 25 which, in the absence of the spring plank of the older form of truck, rest upon a seat 26 provided on the centralportion of the tension member H. The spring grouping may be of any desired type but the standard arrangement for a truck of this type and-of average capacity is shown in the drawings as the preferred form.

are of the configuration clearly depicted in Figures 2, 4,and 5 of the drawings, having substantially parallel lateral flanges 28, provided with outwardly facing bolster contacting surfaces 29. Between these flanges the columns are provided with the inwardly inclined surfaces 30 which form a substantially triangular or wedge shaped guide the rounded apex of which is shown at 3|. The apices of the columns on each side frame define the width of the window opening at the upper portion thereof and this width is at least that of the usual normal opening of this type of truck, that is to say, the spacing of the apices 3| is at least approximately the same as the width of the main portion of the bolster20, for example as. indicated at M.

The end portions of the bolster are wider than the intermediate portion and are provided with the inner guide lugs 35 toward which the side walls 36 of the bolster diverge as at 31. The outer face's38 of these lugs are approximately parallel with the faces 29 of the inner flanges 28 on the columns 24, with which they are adapted to contact under certain conditions of operation. At the extreme ends of the bolster there are 1 formed outer guide lugs 40 which have inner faces M similar to the corresponding faces 38 of the inner lugs and adapted to contact the outer faces 29 of the outer flanges 28. Between these lugs 35 and 40 the bolster is provided with triangular The upper or guide portions of each column 24 surfaces in contact.

configuration of the bolster side walls and the in place and the apices 43 and 3| of the respective 7 members re adapted to interfit.

In the llustrative embodiment in which an angular rotation of the bolster of approximately 1 is allowed for, each surface'42 of the bolster makes an angle of 23 with the axis of the latter giving the'wedge shaped indentation of the bolster a spread of 133.

of 25 with the bolster axis and thus the angle between the surfaces is It will also be noted that the spacing of the apices of the angular bearing surfaces is at least as wide as the width of the spring groupings 25 The corresponding surfaces 30 of the columns 24 have an angularity In assembling the truck, the ends of the bolster are inserted in the lower wider portion of the window 22 and then the mutually engaging surfaces of the bolster and. guide columns are fitted together and thebolster moved upwardly into the narrower upper portion of the window.

whereupon the springs 25 are inserted between the seats 26 and2l on the side frame and the bolster respectively.

The bolster as thus formed and installed re-- tains the truck side frames in their proper lateral positions during'service, without the rigidifying effect of the spring plank. The present arrange-* ment, however, provides suflicient flexibility the bolster 20 will beangled or rotated in one direction or the other with respect to the side frames. Not only this, but even on a straight track, each side frame is alternately surging ahead of the other and causing relative rotation between the frames and bolster.

When the truck is in motion, the bolster very seldom rides innormal rectilinear position, and

. ample.

. diagonally opposite inner and outer flange and,

lug surfaces 29 and 38 and 29 and 4| are incontact, as shown; and these would correspond in" prior constructions to the only bearing or wear However, due to the novel column guides, nearly one-half of the remaining side wall surfaces of these members are in snug bearing contact. As readily apparent, the alternately opposite surfaces 30 and 42 are almost completely in contact from the lugs 35 or 4|)- inwardly to the respective apices 3| and 43.

Thus during by far the greatest portiorLof the time ofrunning, extremely large areas of contact are in use; and thus the truck is properly squared, wear is reduced, the entire connection is wide spacing of lever arm of force applied by the side frame on the bolster to maintain the truck square, is

longer. I 1 r The angles between the converging surfaces of both the bolster and the guides may be varied in practice in accordance with the permittedrotational movement of the bolster, andalso various other changes and modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated'and described-herein without departing from the scope of the invention except as set forth in the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a spring plankless self-aligning car truck of the class described, in combination, side frames having spaced bolster guiding columns, a bolster extending from one side frame to the other and guided for vertical reciprocation and slight horizontal rotation between said columns, the end portions of said bolster being widened and provided upon opposite sides with substantially, triangular or wedge-shaped indentations having two vertical inwardly convergent walls, the mutually inwardly directed apices of said indentations defining the side margins of the window opening 2. In aspring plankless self-aligning car truck of the class described, in combination, side frames having spaced bolster guiding columns, a bolster extending from one side frame to the other and guided for vertical reciprocation and slight horizontal rotation between said columns, the end portions of said bolster being widened and provided upon opposite sides with substantially triangular or wedge-shaped indentations having two vertical inwardly convergent walls, the mutually inwardly directed apices of said indentations defining the side margins of the window opening .for the reception of the bolster ends, similar wedge-shaped projections on said guide columns,

each having two inwardly converging walls and an apex interfitting with the indentations of the bolster ends with a slight clearance, the converging walls of the indentations in thebolster each making anangle of about 23 /2 with the axis of the bolster, and the corresponding walls of the guide column making ,an angle of about 25 with the said axis, whereby when the bolster is rotated in a horizontal plane during certain conditions of service the diagonally oppositely disposed cooperating pairs of walls are in snug bearing contact substantially throughout their entire areas.

3; In a spring plankless self-aligning car truck of the class described, in combination, side frames having spaced bolster guiding columns, a bolster extending from one side frame to the other and guided for vertical reciprocation and slight horizontal rotation between said columns, each of the end portions of said bolster being widened and provided upon each side thereof with a single,.

wardly directedtand defining" the side margins ;of

the window opening 'for the receptionof the'bolster ends, a single similar wedge-shaped projection on each of said guide columns, each projection having two inwardly converging walls and an apex 'interiittingwith the indentationsrof the bolster ends with .a slight clearance, the angles between the converging wallszofr-thezbolster being slightly wider than the'angles between the walls of the guide column projections, whereby when the bolsteris rotated inalhorizontal plane during certain conditions of service the diagonallyoppositely disposed cooperating pairs of walls :arein snug bearing contact substantially throughout their entire areas, the truck side .:frames having upper and lower horizontal members extending between said guide columns, :and coil spring groups seated upon said lower :membersand supporting the ends of said .bolster, said spring groups being disposed entirely within the space between the apices of the columnprojectionsof each side frame, and'between thelateral confines of the side walls of the main portion of said bolster.

4. In a spring'planklessselfaaligning car truck of the class described,.in combination, sideframes having spaced bolster guiding columns, abolster extending from one side frame to the other and guided for vertical reciprocation and slight .horizontal' rotation between said columns, the end portions of said bolster being widened and 'provided upon opposite sides with substantially triangular or wedge-shaped indentations "having two vertical inwardly convergent walls, the :mutually inwardly directed apices of said indentations I defining the side margins of thewindow opening for the reception of the bolster ends, similar wedge-shaped projections on saidguide columns, each having two inwardly converging walls and an apex interfltting with the indentations o1 the bolster ends with a slight clearance, the angles between the converging walls of the bolster being slightly wider than the angles between the walls of the guide column projections, whereby when the bolster .is rotated in ahorizontal plane during parallel with the longitudinal center line of said truck and having inwardly facing surfaces embracing similarly formed substantially parallel side wall surfaces of said columns, there being .a slight clearance between said coacting flange and side wall surfaces, whereby when said bolster is rotated, diagonally opposite pairs of said flange and wall surfaces are in contact, in addition to the wall contact, between said wedge-shaped members.

5. In a spring plankless self-aligning car truck of the classdescribed, in combination, side frames having spaced bolster guiding columns, a bolster extending from one side frame to the other and guided for vertical reciprocation and slight hori-f zontal rotation between said columns, the end portions of said bolsterbeing widened and promeal-n e the indentations being greater than that of the projections by an amount equal to twice the angle t,

of permitted horizontal'rotation of said bolster with respectto said side frame, wherebyIwhen the bolster in rotated in a horizontal plane 'during certain conditions of service the diagonally I i oppositely disposed cooperating pairs of walls are in snug bearing contact substantially throughout their entire areas. 

